Patent GB-437120-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to processes of producing butyl alcohol
IPC: C12P7/28
Filed: 1934-04-27
Abstract: Acetone, butyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol are produced by bacterial fermentation of a mash containing inverted carbohydrate as the principal fermentable carbohydrate, and degraded protein nitrogen (including ammonia) by means of bacteria of the group Clostridium inverto-acetobutylicum, a full description of which is given, at 25--36 DEG  C. while controlling the acidity during the process so that the final product is of pH 5--6,5.  This final condition may be obtained by adding calcium barium or iron carbonate or other non-toxic insoluble base in quantity 3,5--10 per cent of the weight of the sugar in the mass, in excess of that required to neutralize, any initial acidity.  The bacteria may be isolated from soil, rotted wood, corn stalks, river mud and the like by known methods.  In an example a large number of flasks of each of a number of carbohydrate media are sterilized and inoculated with the crude bacteria source and kept at 80--85 DEG  C. for a few minutes, then cooled to 32 DEG C. and incubated, those showing the strongest fermentation in 48 hours being selected and allowed to sporulate for at least 5 days at 32 DEG  C.  The cultures may be plated, incubated anaerobically at 32 DEG  C. and different colonies may be tested.  These cultures are then placed in a medium containing inverted molasses, ammonia, and excess of calcium carbonate at 95--100 DEG  C. and kept at that temperature for not more than a minute, then cooled to 32 DEG  C. and incubated, this procedure being repeated if desired.  The best cultures are then grown in the same medium and a similar one containing uninverted molasses, and those which give high yields of solvents in the first medium and low yields in the second are chosen. Examples of fermentations of inverted molasses are given with particulars of the yields, which range from 28,8 to 31 per cent of the sugar.  The term inverted carbohydrate is defined as fermentable monose sugars and the fermentable inversion products of the higher carbohydrates. Specification 415,312 is referred to.ALSO:Acetone, butyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol are produced by bacterial fermentation of a mash containing inverted carbohydrate as the principal fermentable carbohydrate and degraded protein nitrogen (including ammonia) by means of bacteria of the group Clostridium inverto-acetobutylicum, a full description of which is given, at 25-36 DEG  C., while controlling the acidity during the process so that the final product is of pH 5-6,5.  This final condition may be obtained by adding calcium barium or iron carbonate or other non-toxic insoluble base in quantity 3,5-10 per cent of the weight of the sugar in the mass, in excess of that required to neutralize any initial acidity.  The bacteria may be isolated from soil, rotted wood, corn stalks, river mud and the like by known methods.  In an example a large number of flasks of each of a number of carbohydrate media are sterilized and inoculated with the crude bacteria source and kept at 80-85 DEG  C. for a few minutes, then cooled to 32 DEG C., and incubated, those showing the strongest penetration in 48 hours being selected and allowed to sporulate for at least 5 days at 32 DEG  C.  The cultures may be plated, incubated anaerobically at 32 DEG  C. and different colonies may be tested.  These cultures are then placed in a medium containing inverted molasses, ammonia, and excess of calcium carbonate at 95-100 DEG  C. and kept at that temperature for not more than a minute, then cooled to 32 DEG  C. and incubated, this procedure being repeated if desired.  The best cultures are then grown in the same medium and a similar one containing uninverted molasses, and those which give high yields of solvents in the first medium and low yields in the second are chosen. Examples of fermentations of inverted molasses are given, with particulars of the yields which range from 28,8 to 31 per cent of the sugar. The term inverted carbohydrate is defined as fermentable monose sugars and the fermentable inversion products of the higher carbohydrates.  Specification 415,312 is referred to.